Cost of Houses (Orlando, Palm Bay, Melbourne: short sale, rent, crime)

[myjanuarygirl]

I've been looking around at Realtor.com for a couple weeks and have noticed that the cost of houses in certain areas are REALLY low. I found a really pretty house in Poinciana for $55k (it's gone now, of course) but I haven't exactly read the nicest things about Poinciana here. There were a few other very pretty homes there for super cheap (like $85k) that I've seen. I'm assuming nobody wants to live in Poinciana? Is that why the houses there are priced so affordable?

Here's an example of a cheap house not in Poinciana: http://tinyurl.com/6p798b (broken link)

It looks pretty from the outside, maybe needs work on the inside, and seems to be in a decent area. So what's the catch? I keep reading that houses are so expensive in FL but I keep seeing these houses priced around $85k. I currently live in a house that's over 100 years old, no central air, tiny bathroom, no garage, etc. These houses are looking REALLY nice to me!

[DailyJournalist]

Poinciana is in a very remote area of Osceola and Polk counties, very far from where most jobs would be unless you want to work in the ultra low-paying service jobs of Kissimmee. It has also become filled with crime and some areas also have a gang problem.

[pianogal]

Originally Posted by myjanuarygirl

Here's an example of a cheap house not in Poinciana: Single Family Home - ORLANDO, FL, 32808 - Realtor.com (http://tinyurl.com/6p798b - broken link)

It looks pretty from the outside, maybe needs work on the inside, and seems to be in a decent area. So what's the catch? I keep reading that houses are so expensive in FL but I keep seeing these houses priced around $85k. I currently live in a house that's over 100 years old, no central air, tiny bathroom, no garage, etc. These houses are looking REALLY nice to me!

I don't have much first hand information on the Poinciana area, although what I've heard hasn't been good. However, the home in the above link is in 32808 - the Pine Hills area or more commonly known around here as Crime Hills. Plus, the ad stated that this home was zoned for Jones High School. This school was an F school for so many years, they threatened to close it. The past 2 years it has come up to a D, but still has a reputation as a rough school.

I would guess that is why the home is so cheap. That house in a better to good area would run at least 150K or more.

[Wilshire81182]

It is far from the city and hard to get in and out of. The low price of homes lends to some pretty undesirable buyers/renters. I think of it as the Deltona of the southside. There are very few advantages or amenities of living out there.

[right-here-i-say]

I would rent until able to get something in a nicer area.

[myjanuarygirl]

See I guess that's what's confusing me. The Orlando area seems to be hit or miss. Where I live, there's a lot of crime downtown, but that's pretty much where it stays. All the surrounding areas are clean and safe. Then again, a house like the one I linked to would easily run $250k here. Maybe I'll continue looking more into Brevard County instead. Thanks everyone!

[Wilshire81182]

Lake county and Polk County are generally the safer ones with more affordable homes, but there are several nice parts and crime ridden areas throughout the metro area. Brevard County and Volusia county have pockets of crime ridden areas as well. I would avoid most of Osceola County and parts of Orange County, but once you get into specific areas it can differ a lot by ZIP code and what side of the street/freeway/lake/river you are on. For instance, in Brevard County Melbourne, Viera, and Cocoa Beach are all better than Palm Bay and Cocoa. I think the worst area on the coast for crime though is Daytona Beach and that would be the biggest/most obvious city I would avoid, even though that is Volusia County.

[ohiominnie]

The house is also very small. 1200 sq ft. Says 4 bedrooms, but they must be tiny to pack them all in there. Kitchen is 10x6. According to the auditor's site, the house sold in spring of 2007 for $155,000. It's appraised at around $130,000.....so the short sale is causing the lower selling price.

[myjanuarygirl]

Thanks Wilshire. Melbourne was another area we were looking at. I just spoke to a family member of mine who lives in Celebration, and he said the same thing about Daytona Beach. I was surprised, because a friend of mine lives there (Daytona Beach Shores) and she loves it.

ohiominnie- Wow, I totally missed the 10x6 kitchen.. is that even possible? How did you find the info from the auditor? That is interesting.

[Wilshire81182]

There is a lot of crime in Daytona but there are also nice areas north in Ormond Beach or Palm Coast or South in New Smyrna Beach. It is just the central area I would avoid, not to visit or hang out occasionally but just to live all the time. The nicer areas of Melbourne are northward, Palm Bay is less nice.